As the most abundant mineral in your body, calcium is essential for your body's overall nutrition and health. Calcium makes up approximately 2 percent of our total body weight and contributes to many basic body functions, including disease prevention and absorption of other nutrients. Consuming enough calcium between 1,000 and 1,200 milligrams per day for healthy men and women is a must for optimal nutrition and health.
We
need to consume a certain amount of calcium to build and maintain strong bones
and healthy communication between the brain and other parts of the body. It`s a major Macro Mineral in the body an adult man of 60 kg has nearly one kilogram of calcium.
How much calcium is recommended for children?
If calcium levels are low, bone sources will be depleted which may cause poor bone density and long-term loss of bone mass. It is important to ensure your child is getting enough calcium each day, the recommended daily intake varies according to your child’s age.
| Age (Years) | RDI* Calcium (mg/day) | |
| Infants and Toddlers | 1-3 | 500 |
| Children | 4-8 | 700 |
| 9-11 | 1000 | |
| 12-18 | 1300 |
*Source NZ Nutrition Foundation
What foods contain Calcium?
Calcium is predominately found in milk and milk-based products like cheese. Calcium is also found in dark leafy greens, bony fish such as sardines and in smaller quantities in some nuts and seeds.
| Food/beverage | Practical serve | Calcium |
| 1 Cup lite blue top or trim milk | 1 cup (250ml) | 360 |
| Cottage cheese (light) | 1 tablespoon (16g) | 14 |
| Edam cheese | 2cm cube (8g) | 75 |
| Yoghurt | 1 pottle (150g) | 195 |
| Wholegrain bread | 1 slice (45g) | 33 |
| Sardines | 1 sardine | 66 |
| Almonds (raw) | 10 almonds | 30 |
| Brazil nuts (raw) | 10 brazil nuts | 68 |
| Sesame seeds | 1 tablespoon (9g) | 88 |
| Broccoli boiled | 1 cup (164g) | 59 |
*Source NZ Nutrition Foundation
Further calcium plays a range of key roles
in the body; these include:
Bone
health
Around 99 percent of the
calcium in the human body is found in the bones and teeth; it is essential for
the development, growth, and maintenance of bone. Calcium continues
strengthening the bones of humans until they reach the age of 20-25 when bone
density is highest. After that age, bone density declines, but calcium
continues to help maintain bones and slow down bone density loss, which is a
natural part of the aging process.
People who do not consume
enough calcium before the age of 20-25 have a considerably higher risk of
developing brittle bone disease or osteoporosis later in life; this is
because calcium is drawn from the bones as a reserve.
Muscle
contraction
Calcium regulates muscle
contraction, including the beating of the heart muscle. When a nerve stimulates
a muscle, calcium is released; it helps the proteins in muscle carry out the
work of contraction. The muscle only relaxes again once the calcium is pumped
back out of the muscle.
Blood
clotting
Calcium plays a key role in
normal blood coagulation (clotting). The process of clotting is complex with a
number of steps; a host of chemicals are involved. Calcium plays a part in
a number of these steps.
Other
roles
Calcium is a co-factor for many
enzymes; this means that without the presence of calcium, these important
enzymes cannot work as efficiently.
Calcium affects the smooth
muscle that surrounds blood vessels, causing it to relax. It is important to note that
calcium is not easily absorbed without the presence of vitamin D.
